Rating: 
Summary: Three stars for ambition and courage...
Review: After a little effort, finally completed reading ~Shanghai Baby~ and have been hard-pressed to make a fair commentary on its merits. As it is Hui's first novel, I don't want to be too harsh with my criticisms, (as if it really matters) but the book is terribly self-conscious, though it has a hint of innocence, a truthfulness, which should be acknowledged.Curiosity brought me to this novel. The book was publicly burned and banned in China, thus my inquisitiveness concerning it contents. Apart from occasional drug use, heterosexual sex scenes, (non-graphic in nature) and adult themes, from a western perspective, the book is quite harmless. For the most part, the author pays tribute to western writers such as Allen Ginsberg, Henry Miller and Jack Kerouac. These were, of course, fringe writers of their time, whose works were censored for their rebellious themes (sex, drugs and rock and roll) so one can see what Wei Hui was attempting to emulate with this novel. I found the book hard-going at times, not for its intellectual style and content, but sheer boredom. Nothing really happens in this book -more a rambling discourse about an educated privileged Shanghai woman looking for love and wanting to be a great writer. There's no climatic epiphany concerning identity, which I found disappointing, as she's just as confused about herself at the end of the book as she was at the beginning. It is possible that the book was banned because the author only pays homage to western literary influences, and says nothing at all concerning eastern literature. This was disappointing as well, because the western reader will not achieve any great insight into Chinese culture. As a culture, similar to Hong Kong, Shanghai has that unique eastern and western mix. Therefore it is not surprising that this young twenty-something artist's first novel is a search for a substantial identity. Unfortunately, though, as mentioned before, this work does not achieve this end. There is no doubt, however, that Wei Hui has talent: her characters have a certain depth, and there's a keen connection with her descriptions of her physical environment - so much so, that I wanted to visit Shanghai to experience its eclectic atmosphere and exotic history. Because of my natural suspicious bent, the fact that the publishers emphasised the novel's ritualistic-public burning, led me to suspect it was a marketing device to promote more sales in the west. If this is true, admittedly, it worked for me. To be fair, I have to give the novel three stars, not so much for it literary worth, but for Wei Hui's ambition and courage as a writer.
Rating: 
Summary: A European-Chinese "Beat" Novel
Review: I am sure that most people come to read this book owing to its notoriety much like many people approach Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses". I agree with Milan Kundera in that people who read a book because of its notorious reputation often overlook the true literary value of the work - i.e. it is first and foremost a novel, not a tract or a manifesto. Wei Hui is representative of the generation of educated Chinese who were born towards the late 1970s and grew up during the materialistic 1980s and came to maturity during the bleak/cynical 1990s - more influenced by Henry Miller than Confucius, preferring the self-effacing songs of postmodern Faye Wong to traditional classics like "The Butterfly Lovers", enraptured by Allen Ginsberg in place of Li Po and Tu Fu. In this work, Wei Hui writes in an autobiographical style reminiscent of Henry Miller's "Tropic of Cancer". Frankly, in many ways, the Shanghai of 1999-2000 mirrors the Paris of the 1920s and 1930s... and Wei Hui brings it all to brilliant life in this novel. The writing is sensuous and hungry - with a lust for life matching Walt Whitman - wanting to touch and taste everything. Everything is deeply felt and meditated upon. Wei Hui's prose is at times as potent as the most beautiful poetry - albeit with some odd exceptions such as the rather inapt "Shanghai winter is wet and disgusting - like a woman's period"! But you can almost forgive her many faults owing to so many beautifully luxuriant phrases in it that reminds you of the wonder of being alive and being young and being sensitive to your surroundings. The story by now is so well known that it's quite redundant to repeat it here - the protagonist of the novel is in love with two men; an impotent Chinese artist and a sexually-inexhautible German expatriate. Personally, I find that in the reading of the novel, I am more drawn towards the minor characters such as Madonna, Ah Dick, Zhu Sha, etc. than the main characters. Why? I feel that the main characters are too archetypal of this kind of modern Asian writing (therefore very formulaic) - the minor characters are the most human and are more representative of the "real" people that populate Shanghai today. Ultimately, the novel is a Kerouac-like "road trip" into the emotional/sexual terrains of modern China as the protagonist searches for "fulfilment" (I think that's the right word - "love" and "lust" and "security" seems too trite) - all within a Kundera-like awareness of the flimsiness and fragility of our existence - "in Shanghai, one can die anytime of a car accident or a disease".
Rating:
Summary: Underrated
Review: I think that most of the reviews on this book are not in a good perspective. It may now be considered an old technique and not very risque in the West. But you have to look at China's history and its reluctance to talk about subjects like sex. Its extremely taboo. You also have to look at the deeper meanings in the story. If you take a superficial read then obviously it isn't very interesting. But there is a history of using impotence as a way of stating a point. The impotence of Tian Tian versus the virility and passion of Mark. Think about it. What is it saying politically? When people make a review, look into the subject alittle more and try to look at the perspective of the audience it was targeted for. One hint...it isn't American.
Rating:
Summary: Not amazing, not bad either
Review: Shanghai Baby is the autobiographical tale of a talented and arrogant writer, Coco, so nicknamed because of her similarities to fashion guru Coco Chanel. Surrounded by drugs, coffee houses and parties, Coco finds herself part of a new generation of counterculture and disillusioned youth. Although Coco is in a relationship with a young man who can only be described as her soul mate, her boyfriend's impotence threatens to tear them apart and causes her to enter an affair with a sexy German stranger. Shanghai Baby wants very much to be breakthrough or shocking, but alas, it contains little more on the 'contraversial' side then some random sex scenes - nothing that our Western society isn't already used to. It did, however, accurately portray how beautiful, cold, and ultimately helpless it feels to be young. Shanghai Baby did show promise - In reading the book I was able to glimpse the novel of literary talent that Wei Hui was trying to write - but it ultimately failed to deliver. (Perhaps her later novels will prove to be of more skill.) All in all, however, I enjoyed the book.
Rating: 
Summary: not great, read just for the fun of it
Review: I give the book 2 stars because it has some good parts, towards the ending...but besides that, this book is not a literary achievement...but this writer do have potential...the book's characters are lack of depth...seems like Wei Hui is using too much of pop culture to make the book a bestseller list...- the main character in the book, a writer, even said her ambition is to see the book shes writing a bestseller...Wen Gui writes with full knowledge that this kind of book is not a typical chinese book, but not an unknown genre is the western book market...I feel the characters in the book are all existing only for the sole purpose that the writer is writing a book on contemporary chinese generation---the Xers that Wei Hui is describing...And how strange that Nikki justified her having affair with the German because tian-tian could not fulfil her sexual needs and that she's a writer....it is as if she's experiencing things just for the sake of writing....at times I feel the book is shallow without much real descriotion to characterize from a real events...too many made-up coinsidences like when nikki met flying apple again and again, or when the cousin is working for the german lover, as of the writer forcely trying to ties up each story together a whole.....but im hoping that weihui would become a better writer...
Rating: 
Summary: Amy Tan she is not
Review: And thank goodness for it. I am a big fan of Amy Tan, but if you're looking for a mystical view of China, you won't find it in Hui's book. If you want to verify that she could be the voice of the younger generation of Chinese, you should probably discuss the book with them for yourself. Coco may not be a likable main character. So? Neither was Anna Karenina. I'm not comparing Hui's book to Tolstoy's classic novel, but a likable heroine is not a prerequisite for a good book. Hui does a wonderful job of weaving in the atmosphere of Shanghai among her poetic prose that it's always a bit of a shock to put the book down and return to your own world. She illustrates the interesting mélange of Western and Eastern flavors of the city as she allows us to follow a bit of the life of Coco, the narcissistic journey of youth to find one's place in the world. My advice to you is to give to book a try for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Love and Sex in a Big City
Review: Those who criticized the book for lacking the spirit of Shanghai- who say that it could take place in any large city- missed Wei Hui's point. The main character is a 27 year old girl finding her way through the glitter and glam of a large city teaming with global influences. This is no traditional China and she is certainly not a traditional girl. Whether or not Wei Hui is the voice of a new generation and whether or not this book represents those born in China (or at least Shanghai) in the 70s is not important. Its not a glimpse into the China foreigners love to imagine- its a glimpse into the life of a twenty-something beatnik city dweller who just happens to be Chinese. If you want a book about love and sex that reads like the poetic prose of Banana Yoshimoto you've found the book. If you're looking for something that depicts the stereotypes of Asian women that you have in your head, go read something else.
Rating:
Summary: The book is a beautiful poetry.
Review: I love this book for its soul. It's not the deepest or the smartest book I've ever read but it's very intriguing. It's flashy, moody, and seductive. The book doesn't just tell a story about the lead character, Coco -- it is her. The rhythm of the book is like her breath. SometimeS fast and shallow, sometimes malancholic and expressive. She takes you places that are very personal and real. She shows you her doubts and self-confidence, her loyalty and unfaithfulness, her shallowness and depth, her lust and faith -- all without explaining why: it just is. And it is human.
The book is like an easy reading poetry. The imagery rich in layers and colors. The words are laced with distinctive taste and smell. But like any poem, the depth of what you "get" will be determined by how it affects you. You will either love or hate the characters, understand them or despise them, and you may find meaning in the book or you may wish you never have read it at all. As for me, I think it is beautiful.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad bad Beautiful Author
Review: This book gave a headache for me. Especially when this Coco adores herself too much. As the story moves further this young lady shows more and more of her fineness. She's beautiful, independent, smart, lenglei, fashion-wise, open, different, controversial, lovable and sexy. The most irritating of all is when this 'very fine young lady' conducted a game of poem and flowers in her party. Flowers for the most beautiful and poem for the smartest. You guessed it right! She got so many of both. How pathetic.
After all, this overly light novel is smartly written to welcome outburst of controversy in China. I recommend this book for Malaysians and fellow Asians (this is an example of a minor Asian's true lifestyle) and just forget this if you're Westerners finding the unique way of Asian life.
Rating:
Summary: simple and not interesting
Review: The only interesting fact in this book is that was forbidden by the chinese government, so the advertisers didnt lose any time writing it in the first page... Anyway the book is simple written and talks about a China that is not real. I lived in Beijing for about a year and a half and i can say that the superfluous and plastic life that Coco lives in this book does not show at all the reality of China. In fact the only thing she talks about is going out to fancy restaurants, listening to western rock-bands, and wearing designer clothes... She ends up going out with a westerner, married, rich, and with a big d..k. To sumarize: boring, predictive, simple written... And again the biggest marketing thing they got is that it was forbidden in China... Oky
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